French fling

Dan Luger is the forgotten man of English rugby, but is thriving in his new homeland

The message on his mobile phone is startling because it is delivered in fluent and assured French. When the French ends, you expect him to then repeat in English but he doesn’t. Dan Luger, one-time star in the England rugby team, has made some interesting choices in his life.

He is now 32 years of age, still young enough and probably good enough to play for his country, but he effectively walked away four years ago. Decided there was something else he wanted to do with his rugby life. Luger, some of the guys would have said, was like that  you never quite knew what was going on.

Toulon is now his base, Toulon his team and he is one more Englishman prepared to call the south of France home. Where do you begin to tell the story of what happened to Luger, once one of the most prolific tryscorers